Next, Covet sent me through a list of silhouettes, and I had to choose patterns and styles I didn't like, which was difficult. Yes, I'm a fan of plaid, but only when it's subtle. Leopard print is acceptable, but not always. Here is the problem with matrix-based profiles: No room for exceptions. Without question, the part I liked best was getting to select prices. My mother always said a girl should never skimp on a great winter coat, but good luck getting me to spend three digits on a T-shirt. Covet did a great job of letting me customize how much I would want to drop and on what, ensuring that I wasn't getting bombarded by profiles of stuff I couldn't afford.

When my first stylized e-mail arrived, I was thrilled. The Internet had been scoured, my personality diluted into tiny bits, and -- I hoped -- my next "It" coat sent to my in-box. To my dismay, however, the majority of the stuff was horrible. Fortunately, Covet let me peruse and point out what I hated, and my next e-mail (The service lets you choose how frequently mail arrives.) was slightly better. The third e-mail I received was okay (still some suspicious Ed Hardy), but a couple of gems appeared. Covet's premise was correct: The more I let it know what I hated and loved, the better it got at predicting both.

My best buying still springs from me, a mouse, and my never-ending feeds and discount sites, but Covet does present an easy alternative (probably better for someone less picky). Still, even if it's manned by a group of geniuses, a predictive matrix can never fully replicate simple human taste.